Protecting device for vessels.



11 d 6 n4 0w M d m m P I Q M Q m m: N am F. M. WILLIAMS.

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23 IBM.

STATEEi PATENT FRANKLIN M. WILLIAMS, O13 WINNEMUGCA, NEVA DA.

PROTECTING DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

Application filed June 23, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I FRANKLIN M. 'WII; LIAMS, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Winnemucca, in the county of Humboldt and Stateof'Nevada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inProtecting Devices for Vessels, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a protecting. device for vessels and has forits primary object toprovide very simple and effective means forprotecting a vessel against torpedo attacks by submarines, and whichincludes a longitudinally extending guard plate to ward off the torpedoor cause its expl osion before striking the hull of the vessel.

It is another object of the invention to provide improved means forlowering or raising the longitudinally extending guard plate to anoperative or inoperative position.

It is also another object of the invention to provide an improvedconstruction of guard plate so that the same will effectively ward offor explode a torpedo striking adjacent to the edges thereof.

It is a further general object of the invention to provide a device forthe above purpose, which is strong and durable in its construction, maybe operated with facility, and can be manufactured and applied to thevessel at relatively small cost.

With the aboveand other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating one embodiment of my improvedguard device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the guard plate.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates a cable extendinglongitudinally along each side of the vessel and around the ends of thevessels hull. The end portions of this wire extend beneath the stern endof the vessels deck in intersecting relation and are suitably secured torails or other fixed parts on the deck of the vessel. This wire isattached to a series of spaced bracket plates 7 which are arranged uponeach side line 33 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 25, 1218.

Serial no. 176,608.

of the vessels hull, said plates each being provided with spaced ears 8between which the horizontally swinging davits 9 are pivotally mountedat their inner ends. The davit at the forward end of the vessel isadapted to be detached from the bracket plate, a removable pin or key 10being provided for this purpose.

11 designates the guard plate preferably constructed of multiple plysheet metal securely riveted together. This plate is provided upon itslower longitudinal edge with a longitudinal rib or reinforcementindicated at 12, and the forward end of said plate is obliquely inclinedupwardly and forwardly from the lower edge to the top edge thereof. Thisforward edge of the plate is also provided with a reinforcing flange orrib 18 on its outer side. This reinforcing forward end of the plate isoutwardly bent or flared away from the side of the vessel, as clearlyindicated in Fig. 2 of the drawing. To this forward end of the plate, atits lower edge, one end of a cable 15 is con nected, said cableextending around the prow of the vessel and being attached at its otherend to a suitable Windlass 16 mounted upon the deck thereof.

Upon the free end of each of the davits 9, the pulleys 17 and 18 aremounted, said pulleys being respectively arranged below and above thedavit. Cables 19 extend around the pulleys 17 and are suitably at tachedto the upper edge of the guard plate 11, the other ends of said cablesbeing connected to the drums 20 mounted upon the deck of the vessel.Cables 21 also extend around the other pulleys l8 and are connected tothe clavits, said cables being wound upon drums 22. The free ends of thedavits are connected together by a flexible wire or cable 23, said cableextending from the rear davit around the stern of the vessel and beingsecured to suitable means on the far side of the vessels deck. A cable2% is also connected to the free end of the forward davit 9 and extendsaround the bow of the vessel and is suitably secured at its other end toa stationary part on the deck at the opposite side of the vessel. To theinner end of this davit which is detachably connected to the bracketmember 7, one end of a wire or cable 25 is attached, the other endthereof being suitably fastened to means on the forward end of the deck.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and severaladvantages of the mvention will be clearly and fully understood. Whenthe guard plate is to be swung inwardly along the side of the vessel toan inoperative position, the vessel is stopped and the cables 15 and 2aare 'slackened. The pin 10 is then removed and the forward davit 9disconnected from the bracket member 7. The cables 21 are now wound upontheir respective drums so as to swing the several davits laterally in arearward direction, thereby drawing the guard plate in along the side ofthe vessels hull. By now winding the cables 19 upon their drums, theguard plate may be raised out of the water. The forward davit 9 whichhas been detached from the bracket, is fastened by means of the cable 25to the anchoring means on the deck of the vessel. Preferably, a smallline or cable, indicated at 27, is connected to the main supportingcable 5 at the bow of the vessel, and fixed to means on the deckthereof. By mounting the cable 5 in the manner described, it may beraised or lowered by means of this supporting cable 27 in accordancewith the draft of the vessel when it is loaded or empty. The protectingplate is swung out to its operative position by first winding up thecables 15 and 24: and then slackening the cables 21 so as to permit thedavits to swing outwardly. The forward davit is released from itsposition along side of the vessel and is connected to the forwardbracket plate 7. The cables 19 are then released so that the guard platewill lower by gravity to the desired depth in the water. From the aboveit will be seen that I have devised a very simple and effectiveattachment for vessels, whereby they may be protected against torpedoattacks by submarines and the destruction of the vessel prevented. Itwill, of course, be understood that any desired number of the davits 9may be employed and the guard plate may be made of any required length.Suitable mechanismwill, of course, be provided for operating the severalwinding drums in unison, but as such drum operating mechanism providesno part of the present invention,

it has not been herein described in detail.

While I have above referred to one construction of my invention wherebythe desired ends may be satisfactorily attained, it

is, of course, to be understoodtha't the form,

construction, and relative arrangement of the several parts employed issusceptible of considerable modification and L therefore, reserve theprivilege of adoptln all such legitimate changes as may be -airly em-'bodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. V V V pHaving thus fully described my 1nven-' tion, what I desire to claim andsecure by Letters Patent is: a

A guard device for vessels including a cable extending around the hullof the vessel, spaced brackets secured; to said cable, davits mounted atone of their ends in certain of the brackets for horizontal swingingmovement, an additional davit detachably mounted at one of its ends inthe forward bracket, a guard plate, means for adj ustably suspendingsaid plate from the free ends of the davit, said forward davit extendingat an angle with respect to the first named davit when the guard plateis disposed in its operative position in spaced relation to, the slde ofthe vessel, a flexible connection between the free ends of all of thedavits,

and means for operating the first named dav ts when said forward davit1s disconnected from its bracket to move the guard plate inwardly incloseproximity to the hull of the vessel.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANKLIN "M. WILLIAMS.

WVitnesses: p V

S. .CLPATTON, V v Trros. J. D. SALTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of iIatents,

Washington, D. c."

